Festival of Lights Paris: Jardin des Plantes Illumination

Le Jardin des Plantes, in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, is rocking this winter in Paris 2018 with its very first Light Festival, named Espèces en Voie d’Illumination (Species in the Process of Enlightenment). The Jardin des Plantes Light Show is an enchanting experience, for kids and adults, with monumental light structures set in the alleys and pitches of Jardin des Plantes and Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes.

Jardin des Plantes Illumination is a magical moonlit stroll aims at raising awareness about the importance of protecting the endangered species and the environment in general. The stroll starts at Place Valhubert, with the first giant lanterns representing creatures disappeared 65 million years ago, like mammoths, dinosaurs, or other Jurassic creatures. Some of these giant structures change color and others can even move parts of their body!

After visiting polar bears and exotic frogs visitors arrive at the end of Allée Alfred Lacroix – Edmond Perrier where a mesmerizing tree is the turning point to the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. The Animal Park is located in the north west of Jardin des Plantes and during the day it hosts a small zoo for kids, with animals like flamingoes, panthers or a couple of red pandas.

After going through the guts of a giant white shark, visitors discover endangered or protected species with the real ones sleeping just a few meters away! Apart from the giant lanterns, the Ménagerie alleys are also paced with light flowers and other decoration which makes the stroll even more unique.

We heard that the Jardin des Plantes Paris Illumination Show proposed also of performances and workshops for kids on the theme of the fauna and the flora but we did not see anything apart from some background music.

Festival des Lumières is a fantastic addition in the 5th district of Paris and a great thing to do this winter with friends and family and we hope that Espèces en Voie d’Illumination will be the first of many poetic night-strolls at Jardin des Plantes.

Festival of Lights Paris – Our Best Tips

» Buy your Festival of Lights Paris tickets online here. Tickets are not for a specific date plus there is 1 € discount if bought online.

» Avoid the weekends and Christmas holidays. This festival is a big success since the very first day and everybody wants to visit it!

» We are unsure of which time slot is best for your visit. Overexcited kids are running everywhere from 6 pm to 8 pm while later, from 8 or 9 pm, the temperature is colder.

» The Jardin des Plantes Illumination covers most of the surface of the park so you will spend visiting all the lanterns at least 1 hour- 1 hour and a half. Wear extra warm clothes!

» Check our Winter in Paris Packing List for women here and the Winter Paris Packing List for Men here

» We recommend bringing a thermos flask with hot tea or similar to keep your body warm, Paris in winter very cold at night!

» If you are traveling on a budget and 15 € is too much for your wallet, you can still see some of the giant lanterns during the day. It is not as nice as during the night but better this than nothing, we guess.

About the Jardin des Plantes in Paris

The Jardin des Plantes de Paris is a park and botanical garden located in the 5th district of Paris which opened to the public 400 years ago. In addition to the typical green spaces of a garden, there is also a menagerie, greenhouses, and scientific exhibition buildings, called galleries. The Jardin des Plantes is great for kids and adults to learn about flowers and plants or just for a stroll.

We are independent travelers and restless souls with a passion for our own city, the City of Lights. Quirky explorers with a preference for the local side of Paris and its less known sights, we are continuously looking for new ideas to enjoy the best of Paris & beyond. Keep clicking for first-hand information, best tips & tons of inspiration to enjoy Paris Like a Local.